[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 50 (Monday, December 15, 2003)]
[Pages 1791-1792]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
 Digest of Other White House Announcements

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The following list includes the President's public schedule and other 
items of general interest announced by the Office of the Press Secretary 
and not included elsewhere in this issue.

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December 6

    In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing.

December 8

    In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing. Later, 
he had separate telephone conversations with President Umar Hasan Ahmad 
al-Bashir of Sudan and Sudan People's Liberation Movement Chairman Dr. 
John Garang to discuss the Sudan peace process.
    Later in the morning, the President made a surprise drop-by visit 
during Mrs. Bush's interview with Larry King of CNN.
    In the afternoon, the President met with Secretary of the Treasury 
John W. Snow, Postmaster General John E. Potter, and members of the 
President's Commission on the U.S. Postal Service to discuss postal 
reform. Later, on the State Floor, the President and Mrs. Bush hosted a 
Christmas reception and program for children of U.S. military personnel.
    In the evening, on the State Floor, the President hosted the 
Congressional Ball.

December 9

    In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing. Later, 
on the South Lawn, he and Mrs. Bush participated in an arrival ceremony 
for Premier Wen Jiabao of China. The President and Premier Wen then met 
in the Oval Office. Later in the morning, in the Cabinet Room, the 
President and Premier Wen met with U.S. and Chinese economic officials 
to discuss economic and trade issues.
    In the afternoon, in the Residence, the President had lunch with 
Premier Wen. Later, in Room 450 at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive 
Office Building, he dropped by a meeting between National Security 
Adviser Condoleezza Rice and the U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and 
Economic Cooperation Forum to discuss the African Growth and Opportunity 
Act.
    In the evening, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing 
Arts, the President and Mrs. Bush attended a joint performance by the 
National Symphony Orchestra and the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra.
    The President announced his intention to nominate Lisa Marie Kruska 
to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Public Affairs.
    The President announced his intention to nominate Donald Lee Korb to 
be Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service and Assistant General 
Counsel in the Department of the Treasury.
    The President announced his intention to nominate Robert Scott 
Jepson, Jr., Paul Byron Jones, and Charles Leon Kolby to be members of 
the Internal Revenue Service Oversight Board.
    The President announced his intention to appoint Robert A. Martinez 
as a member of the Board of Governors of the United Service 
Organizations, Inc.
    The President declared a major disaster in the U.S. Virgin Islands 
and ordered Federal aid to supplement Territory recovery efforts in the 
area struck by severe storms, flooding,

[[Page 1792]]

landslides, and mudslides on November 10-16.
    The President declared a major disaster in Virginia and ordered 
Federal aid to supplement Commonwealth and local recovery efforts in the 
area struck by severe storms and flooding on November 18-19.

December 10

    In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing followed 
by a National Security Council meeting. Later, he met with Secretary of 
Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld.
    During the day, the President had separate telephone conversations 
with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, President Jacques Chirac of 
France, and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany to discuss his 
appointment of James A. Baker III as his personal envoy on the issue of 
Iraqi debt.

December 11

    In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing. He also 
had separate telephone conversations with outgoing Prime Minister Jean 
Chretien of Canada, to congratulate him on his service to the Canadian 
people, and with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, to discuss 
the situation in Iraq and the President's appointment of James A. Baker 
III as his personal envoy on the issue of Iraqi debt.
    Later in the morning, the President traveled to McLean, VA.
    In the afternoon, the President returned to Washington, DC.
    In the evening, the President attended a holiday dinner.
    The President announced his designation of Kirk Van Tine as Acting 
Deputy Secretary of Transportation.
    The President announced his designation of Neil McPhie as Vice 
Chairman of the Merit Systems Protection Board.

December 12

    In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing and then 
met with Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. Later, he dropped by a 
White House meeting between Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton, 
Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman, Council on Environmental 
Quality Chairman James L. Connaughton, and wildlife conservation 
leaders.
    In the afternoon, the President greeted winners of the 2003 
MATHCOUNTS National Competition. Later, he attended holiday receptions.
    In the evening, the President attended a holiday reception for 
members of the U.S. Secret Service. Later, he traveled to Camp David, 
MD.